Taipei 101 Aims to Become the Greenest

Powered by solar energy generated on its roof, Taipei 101, one of the world’s tallest buildings, is now aiming to become the greenest. Taipei 101 announced its plan to apply for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, or LEED certification, at the end of October. Its set to start a $1.8 million project to save energy and reduce carbon emissions. The skyscraper is equipped with insulated windows, a rainwater collection system and solar panels. [Michael Liu, Taipei 101 Spokesman]: “I think eventually we are going to save ten percent, averagely ten percent, on water, energy, waste, on this averagely. And in terms of money, we are going to save 20 million NT (New Taiwanese) dollars ($620000) each year, of which we are going to invest probably sixteen million NT to improve facilities, but we are going to save more in future every year.” According to the United Nations Environment program, turning buildings green could reduce carbon emissions by 1.8 billion tons per year worldwide. That is easier said than done, especially in Asia, where the bottom line is often all that counts. Despite the initial higher cost of environmentally friendly construction, architects say that it pays for itself after five or ten years, due to lower energy and water bills. [Michael Liu, Taipei 101 Spokesman]: “I think the biggest challenge for this project is to convince and to educate and encourage all the tenants. There are more than ten thousand people working in the tower …